SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA)- A new hangar is what the Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport is calling a big step forward, for everyone.
“Right now there’s a huge shortage of aircraft hangars in the Upstate so providing a hangar here… we’re really opening up the airport for the local community,” said Terry Connorton, Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport’s director.
Typically a hangar is an area for repairing and servicing aircraft and can also be used for storage. Airport director Terry Connorton said just like the city continues to advance, this new hangar could too.
“This size and type of hangar are normally not just for storage but also for more commercial use too,” said Connorton. “Eventually these hangars may be converted into businesses which will allow for recruiting people locally to work in them.”
Allowing people to work is something the city of Spartanburg said they’re expecting too.
While the hangar is privately owned and paid for by an individual, Spartanburg said the community will still feel the effects.
“It’s huge because what it does is it’s another economic development tool so when we’re recruiting companies to come to Spartanburg one of the things they look for is that kind of amenity,” said Christopher George, city of Spartanburg.
This kind of growth is something Mayor Jerome Rice echoed at the groundbreaking.
“We have over 20 people a day on the average move into Spartanburg County so this is another avenue, another amenity, they would have if they’re looking at us,” said Mayor Rice.
The airport said the hangar will be ready to use in 4 weeks.
